WACO, Texas (AP) — Former Baylor athletic administrator and graduate Doug McNamee was named the Big 12 school’s athletic director on Monday.
The new vice president succeeds Mack Rhoades, who resigned last month for personal reasons after nine years in the job. Rhodes also served as chairman of the College Football Playoff selection committee.
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McNamee left in 2018 to serve as senior associate AD for external affairs at Baylor University before becoming president of Waco-based Magnolia, a nationally recognized lifestyle and media company founded by Baylor alumni Chip and Joanna Gaines. He left Magnolia in 2022 to become president of the reimagined Field & Stream, which counts country music stars Eric Church and Morgan Wallen as investors.
“My connection to Baylor University runs deep, and its culture, history and expectations have profoundly shaped my life,” McNamee said in a statement. “I believe my extensive experience has prepared me for this moment at Baylor and the ever-changing landscape of college sports. Moving into corporate leadership has allowed me to develop the entrepreneurial mindset, creativity, hunger and financial discipline needed to thrive in today’s environment and the environment of the future. Returning to my alma mater in this capacity is a tremendous honor and responsibility. One that I do not take lightly.”
During his previous tenure at Baylor, McNamee was responsible for all major revenue-generating and brand-facing departments, including fundraising, marketing, communications and premium ticketing. He played a key role in the fundraising, planning and opening of McLean Stadium more than a decade ago.
McNamee began his career at IMG Academy and was promoted to general manager of Baylor’s multimedia portfolio, where he was responsible for leading sponsorship strategy, partnership development and revenue optimization. In 2003, he earned a bachelor’s degree in verbal communication from Baylor University and two years later earned a master’s degree in sports management from the school.
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At Field & Stream, McNamee led the revitalization of the 154-year-old outdoor brand into a modern, multi-platform media and consumer lifestyle company. He guides all product, media, retail and content strategy while positioning the company for long-term, omni-channel growth. At Magnolia, he led commercial strategy across media, retail, hospitality, e-commerce and partnerships.
“Doug’s familiarity with Baylor and his recent experience as CEO of two national lifestyle and media companies will serve him well as we prioritize increasing revenue, expanding external NIL opportunities for our student-athletes, growing our brand in a new era of college sports while engaging our passionate fan base,” said Baylor University President Linda Livingstone, who has served as chair of the NCAA Board of Governors and Big 12 Board of Trustees.
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